Vulcanizing apparatus for rubber hose.



S. D. HEWITT.

VULCANIZING APPARATUS FOR RUBBER HOSE.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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s. 0. HEWITT. VULCANIZING APPARATUS FOR RUBBER HOSE.

APPLICAI'IO N FILED AI'R. 8. I9I5.

UNITED STATES SARAH D. HEWITT, OF

B UFFALo, NEW YORK.

VULGANIZING APPARATUS FOR RUBBER HOSE.

' Application filed April 8,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Saran D. Hnwrr'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vulcanizing Apparatus for Rubber Hose of which the following is a. full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates toapparatus for vulcanizing rubber hose, and seeks to provide an improved construction by which a hose of considerable length can be properly vulcanized at a single operation. The invention consists in the features of construction hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the preferred form in the accon'lpanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aview partially in longitudinal section and partially in elevation, of the improved vulcanizer. Fig. 2 is across section on line 22 of Fig. 1. The imprdved apparatus comprises a hollow drum 10-having at its ends projecting hollow trunnions 11 that are journaled in suitable bearings 12 at the upper ends of-a pair of supportingstandards 1.3. A hollow cylindrical jacket 14 is mounted on the, drum, and the contacting cylindrical faces of the drum and jacket are provided with companion spiral grooves 15 which form a channel or mold cavity of considerable length for receiving the hose to be v ulcanized.

The jacket is preferably formed of two half sections-14 and 1e having circumferential strengthening ribs'16 and longitudinal ribs or flanges 17 at their meeting edges. Eye-bolts 18 pivoted to lugs 19 on one of the half-sections, extend through slots in the flanges 17 and are provided with nuts 20 whereby the jacket sections are removably connected together and held in position upon the, drum. Dowel pins 21 interposed between the meeting faces ofthe jacket sectionsiins "re the proper alinement of the latter and ribs 22 at the ends of the drum insure theproper positioning. of the jacket sections on the drum. h j- I Each jacket section is provided ,with strengthening bosses 23, between its inner and onterwalls, and one. of the jacket sections (the jacket section 14, for example) is provided with two eye-bolts 24 threaded ,"into two of these bosses, so that by means of Specification of Letterslatent.

1915. serial No. 19,9ss.

a suitable crane or the like, this jacket section can be lifted from the drum and swung to one side when it isdesired to place the hose in position upon the drum or to remove it therefrom. Means are provided beneath.

the drain for supporting the other jacket section 14' when the jacket sections are disconnected and for moving the jacket section 14 ertically to andfrom the drum. In the preferred construction shown, a pair of jack screws 25 are vertically mounted upon base portions "26 of the'standards 13. These jack screws are provided at their upper ends with heads 27 which are arranged to engage a pair of bosses 28 on the face of the jacket section 14:; lVorm' Wheels 29 threaded on the jack screws are arranged within suitable recesses in the cast body of the base portion 26 so as to be held against longitudinal movement, A horizontal shaft 31 jour- -.naled within the base portions 26 is provided with worms which engage the worm wheels 29 to rotate the-same and thereby raise and lower the jack screws 25. In the Patented am, 1917.

PATENT} OFFICE,

construction shown, one'end of the horizontal shaft 30. is connected by a pair of beveled gears 32 to a shaft 33. This shaft is journaled in suitable bearings in one of the standards 13 andjis inclined upwardly and outwardly and provided at itsupper end end of one of the trunnion's is provided with a large ar'wheel 35 which meshes with the smal pinion 36 on the shaft of an electrio motor 37. The latter is conveniently mounted on a bracket 38 'pirojecting outwardly from the. lower end of the adjacent standard '13. -Means are provided for supplyin steam to. the interior of the drum and jac et'sections, to heat the same during the vulcanizing operation. For this pur ose, one of the hollow trunnions 11 (the let hand trunnion in the form shown) is provided with a stuffing box 39 A fixedpipe 40 is connected at its outer end to a. T-fitting 41 and extends axially into the stuffing box, its flanged in nor end ,being engaged by one of the pack. ing, rings therein. The T-fitting is provided with a partition'42 and steam supply and drip pipes 43 .and 14 are connected with the. fitting on opposite sides -.of the partition,

these pipes being provided with controlling valves 45. The steam supply pipe e3 communicates with the pipe & s that steam may be admitted to the interior of the hollow drum. The pipe l4 communicates with a drain pipe 46 which is fixed at its outer end to the partition l2 and extendsinwardly through the pipe 40 and the hollow trunnion 11. This pipe provided with a curved inner end which extends downwardly to a point closely adjacent the bottom of the chamber within the drum. Condensed steam collects in the .lower portion of the drum chamber and is forced out by the pressure thereinthrough the drain pipe 46.

Connections are provided between the drum and jacket .scctions for supplying steam to the latter. For this purpose, elbow pipes l7 and 48 are connected respectively to adacent ends of the drum and jacket sections and are detachal'ily connected by union coupling 50.

Connections for draining the jacket sections are provided at the opposite end and comprise elbow pipes 51 and connected respectively to the end of the drum and to the ends of the jacket sections, and detachably connected by union couplings The pipes 51 do not open into the interior of the drum, but are connected by" elbow pipes arranged within the drum to a fitting 55. A drain pipe 56 is fixed at its inner end to the fitting 53 and extends outwiu'dly through the righthand hollow trunnion 11, being axially disposed therein. A stalling box is formed at the outer end of the trunnion. about the pipe 56, and a gland 57 ad ustably secured to the end of the trunnion holds packing in place about such pipe. The pipe 56 moves with the drum about the axis of the latter, and its outer end extends into a stufiing box 58 on one end of a fixed T-fitting 5!), the flanged end of the pipe being engaged by one of the packing rings in the stulling box. A drip pipe having acoutrolling valve (31 therein leads 't'romthe fitting 5t). r

To eli'cct uniform heating of the drum and jacket. sections, andnnil'orm 'vulcanizttion o't' thc, length of hose arranged in the spiral groovcs 13 thereof, the drum is moved about its axis and is preferably rotated due in; the vulcanizciug operation. It is also desirable that for uniform vulca-nimtion, the comlensation he removed both from the drum and jackchscctions during the vulcanixin r operation. The steam supply and draining connc iions dcscribcdare axially disposed with reference to the drum, so that they do not interfere with the movement of the. drum about its axis during the vulcanizing operation, and the drum and both jacket sections are ell'ectively drained through the separate drain pipcs lli and it). Means are also provided for maintaining air under pressure within the hose during the vulcanizing operation. For this purpose, the hose receiving channel formed by the spiral grooves 15 is open at its ends, so that the ends of the length of hose to be vulcanized can project therethrough. One end of the hose is closed in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of a plug 62 inserted therein and to whichthe hose is secured by a suitable clamp 63. The

opposite end of thehose is secured by a clamp (it to a coupling nipple (35 mounted upon the adjacent end of the drum. This nipple communicates with a U-pipe connection 66, which is arranged within the drum and is connected to the inner end of the fitting'iu'i. This air connection communicates with an air supply pipe (37 which is fixed at its inner end to the fitting, and extends axially through the drain pipe 56 and outwardly through the fitting 59. The latter is provided on its outer face with a stutfin e box 8 extending about the air supply pipe. Like the drain pipe 56, the air supply pipe (57 moves with the .drum and its outer end portion extends within' a stutling box ()9 on a fixed elbow fitting 70, the flanged outer end of the pipe being engaged by one of the packing rings in the stuffing box. A pipe 71 is connected to the fitting TOand to a suitable source of air under pressure and is provided with a controlling valve 72. This valve is preferably of the three-way type, so that the hipe 67 can either be connected to the source of air under pressure or opened to the atmosphere.

Portions of the draining; connections for the jacket sections and portions of the air supply connections are arranged within the interior of the drum, and are mounted upon one end thereof. To permit the assen'ililing of these connections, this end of the drum is in the form of a removable head 7 which is secured in position by screw bolts 74 extending thcrethrougl-i and threaded into bosses 75 formed upon the :uljaecnt end ot' the cylindrical portion of the drum.

I In operation, the drum is brought to rest with the jacket section 14 above the drum and with the. jacket section 14' below the same. 'lhc jack screws 25 are raised to bring the .l eads 27 thereofin 'cngagnanent with the'bosscs 28 on the lower jaclu-tscction. The connecting bolts ls and the pipe couplings 50 and 53 are then disengaged and the upper jacket section raised and swung out of the way, and the lower jacket sccl'iun is lowered away tron: the drum by means of the jack screws. The hose to be vulcanized is thin. wound upon the drum, the drum bccilitate this operation. ()ne cnd oi the hose is then closed and its opposite end connected to the coupling nipple (3.3. The drum is then mg rotated by means of the motor 37 to he supply and draining pipes for the jacket.

sections are'connected'by the couplings 50 and 53. Air under pressure is admitted through the supply p e 67 to force the hose into snug engagemen t witli the walls of the s iral grooves 15, and steam is admitted to t e drum and jacket sections to heat the same and vulcanize the hose. DuringIthe vulcanizing o ration, to effect a uniform distributiono the heat and roper draining of the condensed steam, the rum and jacket sections thereon are, moved about the axis of the drum through at least a half-revolw tion, and are preferably rotated continuously, in one direction. To. permit this rotation of the drum and jacket, the jack screws and'heads 27 thereon are lowered out of contact with the jacket section 141. During this movement of the drum, the flow through the steam su ply and drain pipes can be controlled as esired, and the pres sure of air within the hose can also be con trolled. If it becomes excessive, because of the heating and expansion of the air within the hose, some of the air can be released by means of the three-way valve 72.

It is obvious that numerous .changes can be made in the details set forth, without departure from the essentials of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention: v 1. A vulcanizer for. rubber hose comprising supporting standards, a hollow drum journaled therein, a sectional jacket removabl mounted on said drum, said drum and jac et having companion spiral grooves in their meeting faces for receiving the hose, means for supplying steam to said drum and the sections of said jacket, and a pipe connection having an axially disposed portion for supplying fluid under pressure to the hose during the movement of the drum and jacket about the axis of the drum, substantially as described.

2. A vulcanizer for rubber hose comprising supporting standards, a hollow drum journaled therein, a. sectional jacket removabl mounted on said drum, said drum and jac et having companion spiral grooves in their meeting faces for receiving the hose,

-means for moving the drum and jacket about the axis of the drum, and connections having axially disposed portions for supplying steam to said drum and jacketsections, withdrawing the condensation therefrom and for supplying fluid under pressure to the hose during the movement of the drum and jacket about the axis of the drum, substantiallyas described.

3. A vulcanizer for rubber hose compris- -rotatable drain pipe and said ing supporting standards, a hollow drum journaled therein, a sectional jacketremovably mounted on said'drum, said drum and jacket having companion-spiral grooves in their meetingfaces for receiving the hose,

and connections extending axially through said drum for'supplying steamto said drum and jacket and for maintaining fluid under pressure in the hose during the movement of'the drum upon its axis, substantially as described.

4. A vulcanizer for rubberhose compristional jacket removably mounted on said drum, said drum and jacket having com panion spiral grooves in their meeting faces for receiving the hose, an axially disposed steam supply connection, separate, axially disposed drain pipes for said drum and said acket sections, said drum drain pipe bein fixed in position and havingfa downturne inner end, said jacket drain pipe being connected to rotate with said drum and externally detachable connections between said j acket sections, substantially as described.

A vulcani'zer for rubber hose compris v ing supporting standards, a hollow drum journaled therein, a sectional jacket removably mounted on said drum, said drum'a-nd jacket having companion spiral grooves in their meeting faces for receiving the hose,

steam supply connections, separate drain connections leading respectively from-said drum and said jacket, and connections for supplying fluid under pressure to the hoses-'- nions, detachable steam supply connections between said drum and said jacket sections,

all of said connections extending axially an air supply pipe' extending through one of said trunnions, and a coupling nipple atone end of said drum'communicatingwith said air supplypipe and adaptedto be connected to one end of the hose, substantially as described.

7 A vulcanizer for rubber hose comprising supporting standards, a hollow horizontal drum havingtrunnions at its ends journaled in said standards, a sectional jacket removably mounted on said drum, said drum and jacket having companiomspiral grooves in their meeting faces for receiving the hose, means for rotating said drum, a steam supply connection and separate drum and jacket drain pipes extending axially through said trunnions, said drum drain pipe being fixed in position and having a downturned inner end and said jacket drain pipe being connectcd'to rotate with said drum, externally detachable steam supply and drain connections between said drum and said jacket, said drain connections being connected within said drum to said rotatable jacket drain pipe, substantially as described.

8. A vulcanizer for rubber hose comprising supporting standards, a hollow drum having trunnions at its ends journaled in said standards, a sectional jacket removably mounted on said drum, said drum and jacket having companion. spiral grooves in their meeting faces forming a channel for receiving the hose, said channel being open at its ends, means for rotating said drum, steam connections, an air supply pipe and separate drain pipes ext-ending axially through said trunnions separate, detachable, steam supply and drain connections between said drum and jacket, a coupling nipple on one end of the drum adapted to be connected to one end of the hose, said drain connec tions and said nipple being connected \Vllllin the drum to one of said drain pipes and to said air supply pipe, respectively, and said drum having a removable head at one end whereon said drain cc inections and said coupling nipple are mounted, substantially as described.

9. A vulcanizer for rubber hose and the like comprising supporting standards, a hollow spirally grooved drum journaled in said standards, a jacket having a companion groove formed of two half-sections removably mounted on said drum, bolts connecting said jacket sections to thereby secure the hose in place upon said drum, jack mechanism arranged below said drum and vertically movable into and out of engagement with one of said jacket sections and arranged to support and move the same to and from said drum, means for moving said drum and jacket about the axis of the drum, and connections, for supplying steam thereto and for draining the same, substantially as described.

10. A vulcanizer for rubber hose and the like comprising supporting standards, a hollow horizontal drum rotatably mounted thereon, a. sectional jacket removably mounted on said drum, said drum and jacket having companibn spiral grooves in their meeting faces for receiving the hose, an axially disposed steam supply connection, a. drain connection for said drum comprising an axially disposed portion and a downturned inner port-ion arranged within said drum, and a separate drain connection for said jacket comprising an axially disposed portion connected to rotate with said drum and detachably connected to the separate sections of said jacket, substantially as described.

SARAH D. HEWITT. \Vitnesses:

HARRY L. CLAPP, J. G. ANDERSON. 

